The Road Trip
by Persephone Summerwick
Summary: The gang go on a road trip to celebrate Kevin's wedding, but when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they end up at the residence of a "not so" normal couple with "not so" good intentions.
1. Crash

Title: Road Trip

Author: Sylvia

Summary: The gang go on a road trip to celebrate Kevin's wedding, but when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they end up at the residence of a "not so" normal couple with "not so" good intentions.

XX

They were traveling in two cars. Kevin and Jenny in one, Kate, Rick, Lanie, and Javier in another. There wasn't enough room in one car for everyone, and the other four figured the newlyweds would want some privacy. Castle was the one who came up with the brilliant idea of going on a road trip, just the six of them. They were going to a cabin that a friend of his was letting them stay at, practically hours away from where they resided in New York City. At the moment, they were driving down a long deserted road, all dirt, sand and grass. Nothing but trees everywhere. It was just past midnight. There was a light drizzle falling from the skyand it was Esposito's turn to drive, Lanie in the passenger's seat. Kate was currently asleep with a blanket covering her, Castle sneaking a peek over at her every so often.

"How much further is this damn place?" Lanie had reached the end of her rope. The exhaustion was creeping up on her, but she couldn't seem to find any rest in her upright position. Her back was aching, and she'd had a headache for the past half hour.

"It's… Well, let's just say we're not almost there." Castle answered; glad she couldn't hit him from their seats. Her frustration didn't go unnoticed when she let out a huff of anger. She glanced over at Kate. "I bet she's enjoying herself." Once again, she tried to get comfortable in the hard seat. Kate let out a soft moan in her sleep and moved around a bit, changing position to rest her head on Castle's shoulder. He immediately tensed, but seconds later relaxed, a warm smile on his face. He had no intentions of moving her. Sooner than later, the rain was pouring down on both cars, making it almost impossible for the drivers to see. Esposito glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Man, I can't even see Kevin's car. Lanie, stick your head out the window."  
>"You're nuts!" At this point, Kate had just woken up, finding herself on Castle's shoulder. She awkwardly pulled away.<p>

"Lanie, this isn't about your hair right now. We need to make sure they're okay."

"You think this is about my hair? How shallow do you think I am?" Lanie gave him a dirty look and turned away.

"This is crazy…" Esposito growled. Kate squinted out one side of the window while Rick looked out the other, both looking for some sort of sign that Kevin was right there or at least that they hadn't gone off the road. Suddenly, everyone in the vehicle heard a loud crash.

"Pull over now!" Rick shouted. Esposito slammed on the brakes, and everyone hurried out of the car. The front of Kevin's car was totaled, smashed into a tree.

"Jenny! Kevin!" Kate ran towards the car, the others close behind. The group of friends were drenched, their hair sopping, clothes soaked.

"We're fine!" Jenny shouted to be heard over the storm. Thunder cackled in the sky.

"I couldn't see a thing. It was…" Her husband spluttered. He seemed to be in shock over the ordeal.

"It's okay, hun." She grabbed his hand. "We're okay."

"Come on, we need to get in the other car and call for help." They hurriedly rushed back to Esposito's car, not everyone fitting in. Castle stood outside, hanging his head on the inside to keep at least that part of him from getting more soaked. They all tried their phones.

"No service." Kate muttered.

"Right there with you." Jenny shoved her phone back in her pocket.

"Hey, look!" Lanie pointed off in the distance. They all looked closely to see what was ahead. Through the raindrops, they managed to see a large house. The middle of nowhere. Who'd want to live out here?

"Come on!" The group stayed close together and ran towards the house, anxious to get out of the wet environment. Esposito was the first one to reach the door, pounding on it. It was cold and dark, and they just needed some help. The door opened in moments. A middle aged woman stood there, looking over the sopping group.

"Yes?"  
>"Our car broke down. Could we use your phone?" Esposito asked, trying to sound as sweet as possible. The nicer the better.<p>

"Sure, sure! Come on in." They gratefully entered her house, thanking her as they did so. "You poor dears must be exhausted. Where are you from?"

"New York."

"You're far from home, aren't you? Phones in the kitchen. One of you follow me, the rest of ya can get comfy in the living room." They looked at each other, and Esposito was the one to follow her out of the room. Sitting down around the fireplace, they got on the couch.

"Cozy place…" Jenny muttered. "We should get something like this."  
>"It looks kind of like a… cabin. Don't you think?"<p>

"I guess. We should get something _similar_ then. Without all the...wood…Too much wood."

"I've got a vibe." Castle whispered to Kate.

"Let me guess. You have a wild theory that this woman is some sort of alien from Mars whose come to eat human souls."

"Don't be ridiculous." She gave him a look. "She's definitely a robot."

"A _robot_…" She repeated slowly, a grin forming on her face.

"Exactly. You catch on quick, Ms. Beckett." Shaking her head, Kate turned her head away to keep him from seeing the smile she had. The woman who'd let them in walked back into the room, holding a pile of towels.

"You're all soaking wet. Here." She passed the towels to Kevin, who handed them out to all of his friends. The moment she got hers, Kate immediately wrapped it around herself, shivering on the couch.

"Where's Javier?" Lanie asked her.

"The other one? Still trying to get through. Unfortunately, the storm seems to have cut the phone lines."

"But, the powers not out." Jenny observed, eyes wondering. The owner of the house narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, well…" She left it at that. "Oh, by the way. My name is Carol."

"I'm Kevin." He introduced. "This is my wife Jenny, Lanie, Rick, Kate and Javier is in the kitchen." Carol nodded, a slight smile on her face.

"Excellent. Obviously ya'll aren't finding a tow truck tonight, Since I can't just abandon you poor souls, you're more than welcome to spend the night." That earned several eyebrow raises.

"We can't just put you out like that." Kevin insisted, hoping she'd do the same.

"Nonsense. Where would you sleep, on the dirt?" She scoffed to herself, letting out a small laugh. "We have limited space. A guest room and my son's bedroom. Two of you in each room."

"There's… six of us." Lanie looked around, confused.

"Two of you will have to stay down here, then."

"What about your son?" Kate chimed in, feeling as if she and her friends were imposing on this woman's house and family. When Carol's smile dropped into a frown, she realized it was a touchy topic she should stray away from. Squinting her eyes at the brunette, Carol crossed her arms.

"He's dead." She said simply, a cold twinge in her voice. "Sometimes I still feel his presence when I'm in his room. He speaks to me." Everyone became silent after that, feeling out of place. The silence was broken when Esposito's figure popped up in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Phone's out of service."

"Shit." Lanie mumbled.

"Kevin and I will take the guest room." Jenny said before anyone else could. No one wanted to be in the son's room, and the living room wouldn't be very cozy. Everyone groaned when they heard her say this, except for her husband who gave her a secretive wink.

"Javi and I will take the living room." All Lanie knew, was that she did _not _want to sleep in a room that could be haunted. She definitely didn't believe in that kind of stuff, but being in a strange house irked her out. Especially since the boy who stayed in that room was dead. Evidence that he was once there would be found, but it was too upsetting for somebody, even if she happens to witness death almost daily. Kate and Castle awkwardly looked in each other's direction. Not only were they stuck together, but they were stuck in the boys room.

"Where am I supposed to stay?" Kate asked the question nonetheless, her voice quivering.

"In my son's room, of course." Carol's eyes darkened as she looked over at the younger woman. She did not like her, and it was obvious in the glare she threw.

"With… him?" Lanie found this more than entertaining, and she stifled a laugh. Unfortunately for her, it broke through and Kate gave her the dirtiest look. Castle placed a hand on his heart, as if offended.

"What's so bad about sharing a room with me?"

"The answers are endless." Right then, the lights turned off, the house falling into darkness. Instinctively, Jenny let out a yelp, not having expected this.

"Shit. The storm got to the power." Carol sighed. "I have some candles in the basement. Fuse box is down there as well. Does anyone know how to work the power?"

"I can try." Esposito shrugged.

"Perfect. It's worth a shot, right? One of you go down with him and get the candles while he tries to restart the power." Lanie got up first. Not that she liked dark basements, but she figured she'd go with her boyfriend. "Take a flashlight." The couple followed Carol to the kitchen, where she opened a random drawer and pulled out a deep red flashlight, flicking it on. The light was obviously dying.

"Got anymore batteries?"  
>"Yeah, but I'm really not sure where. You'll have to make do." She walked back to the main room and looked over the people sitting on her couches. The basement door was located in the kitchen, behind the stairs which were near the front door.<p>

"Let's do this." Esposito was over dramatic when he said this, making his voice deeper. Lanie rolled her eyes at his sarcasm and pulled the door open, heading in first. Popping his collar, the man followed cautiously after.

"My husband will be home soon." Carol told the folks in her living room, breaking the awkward silence.

"You don't live here alone?" Jenny questioned, just now noticing that her wet hair had dripped on to the cushion of Carol's sofa.

"No, my husband Trevor lives with me. He went to the grocery store to stock up on some food, knowing a storm was coming. He should be back any moment."

"Aren't you worried?" Castle wondered. "Him driving in this weather, I mean." She tilted her head sideways, the ends of her short hair tucking behind her ear as she did so.

"He's a smart man." She said this strangely, distant. "Goodness, you four must be parched. I'll brew up a nice pot of tea."

"The electricity is out.." Kate reminded her. Giving herself a smack on the forehead, Carol simply laughed.

"I'm such a dolt. Of course it is." None the less, she walked towards the kitchen without another word. Castle lowered his voice, as to not be heard.

"She's kind of weird, isn't she?" Kate gently punched his shoulder.

"Knock it off. She was generous enough to let us spend the night. We shouldn't question it." He furrowed his eyebrows at them.

"Come on. You can't tell me I'm the only one who sees it."

"You're not." Kevin agreed, nodding his head. "She's a character, alright. But, we shouldn't put too much thought in to it. We leave tomorrow."

"What time is it?" Kate asked Castle. He held up his wrist for her, showing off his watch. Almost midnight. "God, it feels so much later." She yawned, rubbing at her sore shoulder.

"Hey, are you sure you guys are okay?" Castle asked his two friends. "The car looks rough. You can't tell me you're in tip top shape." Kevin looked towards Jenny, shrugging.

"I have a small cut on my head. Maybe an ache here and there. But I'm no worse for wear."

"Same goes for me." Jenny agreed. "We were really lucky."

"You definitely were. That could've been so much worse. And we wouldn't have been able to contact the police." Kate said, her eyes widening at the possibilities.

"Speaking of contact. Check your signal." Castle told them. Remembering, they pulled out their cell phones.

"God damnit." Kate groaned. "Why is there no signal?"

"Maybe because we're in the middle of nowhere?"

"We may not be in the middle of civilization, but it isn't nowhere." Carol said, walking in with a platter that held a couple of cups on it. "It's hot tea." Castle's eyebrows knitted together.

"How'd you manage that?" Her smile widened.

"I have my ways." That sent a shiver up his spine. Man, was she creepy. A pounding on the door distracted the group as they grabbed their drinks.

"What was that?" Jenny asked, worried.

"Just Trevor." Eagerly walking to the front door, she pulled it open to reveal a disheveled looking middle-aged man, sopping wet from head to toe.

"Oh, hun. Come on in. I'll get you a towel." Trevor placed his jacket on the hook, and froze as he entered the living room.

"Carol!" He called to his wife, who was now grabbing a towel from the next room. She hurried back in, handing him the green fabric.

"What is it, babe?"

"Who the fuck are these people, and why are they in my house?" Kate shifted uncomfortably. Maybe it wasn't okay that they were here, after all. Watching the scene play out, Castle sat up straighter, holding his hot tea between his palms, allowing the mug to warm him.

"Their car broke down. Powers obviously out, and they can't call the tow truck until tomorrow."

"Shit, Carol…"

"I know, I know. I already told them they could stay, even made sleeping arrangements." His jaw clenched.

"Paul's room?" It was more of a statement than a question. Her head dropped to look at the floor, ashamed.

"They're nice people. They won't disrupt us."

"Better not. I don't have time for this; I'm taking a shower and heading off to bed." He stormed out of the room and up the stairs.

"I'm sorry about that, he really is a nice man."  
>"I can tell." Castle muttered, earning an elbow from his partner. Everyone looked towards the kitchen when they heard footsteps coming their way.<p>

"Candles for all." Lanie placed the lot she'd been holding on the coffee table.

"Everybody take one each." They did as they were told. Carol surveyed the crowd. "I'm sure you have all had a very long day, and are eager to get some rest." That was an understatement for both Lanie and Kate. "I'll show you to your rooms." Another knock on the door kept her from doing what she had said she would.

"Who…?" Kate wondered, the word escaping her lips.

"Strange." Carol swung the door open, the wind adding force as it hit the wall when she opened it. There stood a man, probably in his thirties.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" The man closed the door.

"Was in the neighborhood." He shrugged, a sly grin on his lips.

"The neighborhood, huh? You do know the town is 45 minutes away, don't you?"

"Yeah, well. I went for a drive and found myself here. Weather was too bad to keep on going." He looked around. "Who are the people?"

"I forget their names. Their car was totaled. Spending the night."

"Aren't you just a cherry?" He laughed. "Hello all. I'm Trevor's brother." They offered waves.

"I guess you have no choice but to stay here, also."

"I'll take the basement." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"If you insist." Carol rolled her eyes, then turning to see Esposito. "I forgot to ask, you weren't able to fix the fuse, were you?"

"Obviously not." He referred to the fact that they were still powerless.

"Right."

"I uh, I couldn't help but notice that some of the doors were locked. When I was looking for the candles." Lanie suddenly said.

"Yes, it's called privacy." Though she looked happy, the sentence was filled with venom. "Anyway, here's the lighter." She allowed everyone to light their candles, filling the room with a replacement light, though not nearly as bright. Shadows bounced off the walls, giving the room an airy feel. "Let's get you settled in your rooms." Everyone got off the couches, carrying their candles with them as they followed Carol upstairs. Esposito and Lanie stayed in the living room, knowing their place.

"Jack, be a dear and get those two some blankets and pillows."

"Yeah, yeah." He gave Lanie a once over, his tongue between his teeth. Esposito growled to himself. They couldn't afford to piss anyone off. As they walked down the dark hallway, their candles illuminated among the thin walls. It was such a tight space, the walls practically closing in and touching their shoulders as they glided along the carpet. The group of four stared at the pictures on the wall, lighting up as they walked past. They were strange, and most definitely creepy. Old fashioned photographs. Only one seemed out of place among the rest, a young boy on the swings. This picture was not in a dull black and white like the rest, but in color.

"This is the guest room." Carol opened the door for Jenny and Kevin. It was a simple room, neat and a nice size. They entered, eyeballing the furniture. Old fashioned, like the pictures. She closed the door for them, continuing on down the hall.

"This would be my room." She said, passing by a closed door. At the very end of the hall, was the room she was aiming at. "And this is...was… Paul's. My son." Her friendly expression all but completely vanished. She swung the door open, a loud creaking filling the quiet serenity. Kate and Rick followed her in, their two candles giving the room a gentle hum. It was still so very dark.

The room was filled with an average child's things. Some toys creepier than others. The bed had been unslept in, neat. Little rocket ships decorated along the comforter.

"Thank you." Kate said quietly, bowing her head.

"Be careful." Carol whispered, softly closing the door.

"Why did she say that?" Castle asked, his eyes popping out. "Oh my god, there's a ghost in here."

"Shut up, Castle. There isn't."

"She told us to be _careful_. If that's not a warning sign I don't know what is. Oh god, I can't breathe." Kate let out a sigh of exasperation. How would she deal with him all night? All she wanted right now, was sleep. They placed their candles on opposite sides of the room, trying to make the room as bright as possible. They only illuminated small areas, so most of the room was still very dim. They sat down on the edge of the bed, not sure of how to react. Looking over at her, Castle watched in amazement, staring at her eyes. The flame of the candle reflected in her emerald eyes, dancing in the darkness.

"You're beautiful." It blurted out. He had really not meant to say that. Her eyes opened wide, and her head snapped to look at him.

"What?" It came out quick and short, uncertain of what else to say.

"Uh, the uh… The fire." He gave himself a mental punch in the face. The fire? What the hell did that even mean? "Never mind. That didn't happen."

"Forgotten." She agreed.

"So, how are we gonna work out this whole sleeping thing. It's no big deal for the others, they can sleep side by side. Being together and all." She felt uncomfortable again.

"Yeah. Together."

"It's a twin bed."

"I hope you like the floor." She grinned.

"That's not fair. Rock paper scissors." He held up two fists. Kate gave him a look that clearly stated, 'Are you kidding me?' "Come on, Beckett. What are you, scared?" Her fists joined his. "Very good, Ms. Beckett." One, two, three… They shook their fists.

"Hah! Rock beats scissors." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Best two out of three?" She suggested, hopefully. Reluctantly, he agreed. One, two, three…

"Yes!" He fist pumped. "Knew you'd do scissors again. Trying to outsmart me, eh?" She frowned.

"Sorry, Beckett. Looks like you're on the floor." Without argument, she grabbed a pillow, and placed it on the floor. This surprised Castle. No arguing? Nothing? He was even more surprised when she lay down on the pillow. Guilt began to drown him. "Hey, I was just kidding. You can have the bed." He was too much of a gentleman to let her sleep on the ground like that. A wicked grin formed across her face. She knew he'd do that.

"We can sleep on opposite sides." Why she actually said that, she really had no clue. Perhaps she felt the same guilt he did. Nonetheless, she'd already suggested it.

"Really?"

"As long as you keep your hands to yourself, I don't see why not. But, if you tell anyone about this, I will castrate you." They climbed under the covers, Castle taking the foot of the bed while she took the upright position. Tossing him a pillow, she got comfortable and couldn't help but notice how warm and amazing it felt to be sharing a bed with the author. Both of them watched as one of the candles flame went out, a gust of wind blowing through the room.

"Did you feel that?" Castle asked suddenly, curiosity coming his way. Kate looked down at her chest, her nipples having hardened from the cold air. Yep, she definitely felt that.

"Yeah, what was that?"

"Ghost." He said, flat out.

"Oh, shut it, Castle. It's probably just the wind."

"What wind? The window is closed."

"There's probably a little getting through the bottom, leave it alone." She snuggled her head further into the pillow, but couldn't suppress the nagging feeling of fear she had deep within.

"Was that there before?" She groaned.

"What?"

"That clown." Castle shuddered, pointing in the direction of a large toy clown, almost the same size as him. It was sitting on a rocking chair in the corner of a room, a permanent smile plastered on its colorful face. She hadn't before noticed it, given the darkness of the room. It made her shiver.

"Castle." Her voice shook, beyond control. "Stop doing that."

"Am I scaring you?"

"No." She lied. It was very obvious that she was doing so, but Castle decided not to call her out on it. He was feeling odd about the whole thing himself. "Castle?" She asked, uncertain.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something without getting judged?" What the hell?

"Okay…"

"Will you… Would you lay next to me?" There was a period of silence. "Never mind. That was stupid. Forget I asked."

"Are you sure you want me to?" Another pause took place.

"Please." And that was all she had to say. Castle shifted under the blanket, maneuvering himself to the other side of the bed so that he was next to her, Kate laying on the inside of the bed. They both couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement, and warmth. "Thank you."

"How do you feel, right now?"  
>"What?" She looked over at him, feeling unbelievably close to his body.<p>

"I don't know. This whole thing is strange. This place." Kate pulled the blanket up more, still cold from their encounter with the rain.

"I know what you mean. It gives off a strange feeling. It could just be because of how much we're freaking ourselves out. In the morning, it'll seem like nothing."

"Maybe…" It could be true, but he wasn't quite sure if he thought so.

"Please don't come up with another theory of them being aliens."

"I said robots. But, I won't. I just want to go back to the city." Kate felt exactly the same way. Home. It was probably all any of them wanted. Civilization. Away from this house that would be easy to get murdered in, without anybody ever finding out.


	2. Floodgates

A large puddle of blood, seeping through the cracks of a wooden floor. A hand visible, laying limp on the thick liquid. Someone violently grabbed the limp persons hand and dragged them through the blood, no face showing on either person. Flash, a change of scenery. A pentagram of blood designed on concrete flooring. In the center was a bowl, a human heart in the confines, staining the bowl with red splotches. Screaming off in the distance… A gunshot. Then, nothing.

_"Kate!" _Who was calling her? _"Kate. Wake up!"_ Kate's eyes snapped open, hearing a nearby screaming. Oh, that was coming from her own mouth. The high pitched noise ceased, and all that was left was her partner violently shaking her. Her mouth was still open, confused and frightened.

"What-?" She didn't know what to say.

"You were having a nightmare. You started screaming." In a comforting motion, he soothed his hand over her back, trying to calm her down. "It was just a nightmare."

"No." She shook her head quickly. "It wasn't."

"Yes, it was. I woke up, hearing you screaming."

"Did I say anything?" It was his turn to shake his head.

"What was your dream about?" Letting out a sigh, Kate rubbed her hand over her eyes, feeling restless and hung over.

"It doesn't even matter. It made no sense."  
>"It might help to talk about it." Ignoring his insight, she changed the subject.<p>

"What time is it?" He squinted down at his watch.

"Almost three." Settling back under the blanket, she was both thankful and frustrated that it was still too early to get up. Thankful, because she was utterly exhausted. Frustrated, because the sooner she got out of this house, the better. It must've been the cause of her nightmare.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I never said I was." Kate paused. "But, yeah. I'm fine." She lied thickly. It would only cause more troubles to get him involved with whatever scary thoughts were running through her head right now. Strictly her imaginations fault. What was the point of freaking out him, too? Castle seemed to be in his own thoughts as well, his eyes cast down to stare at the blanket. When he heard his partner gasp, he was pulled out of his reverie and looked up at her. He was about to ask what was wrong, but she spoke before he could.

"Castle, that's not funny." She wasn't even looking at him. Her eyes were focused on something else in the room. Not only did she sound angry, but her voice held more fear than anything else. This house was playing tricks on them. Normally, Kate was anything but scared. Or she at least tried to hide it.

"What?" He held more worry in his tone than he'd meant to.

"Why would you move the clown? You're really going to be an ass and play tricks on me at a time like this?" Her voice rose with every word.

"Whoa, Kate. Slow down. What the hell are you talking about?" His heart picked up speed.

"The clown, Castle!" She pointed at the rocking chair. "It's gone!" Swallowing, the author slowly rotated his head to look in the direction of the chair. There it was, in the corner. Void of any trace that a clown was once there.

"I didn't do that, Kate." Barely above a whisper, Castle couldn't seem to make himself sound more sure of himself. She pointed an accusing finger at him, finally looking away from the chair.

"Yes you did! And I'll have you know, that I find it really messed up. You know what? I think I'll just go sleep…" She considered. "In the car, or something." Kate said it in a fit of rage, not even sure if she meant it. Nonetheless, she pulled the blanket off herself with force and made her way to the door, a chill going up her spine as she passed the empty chair.

"Kate! I swear! It wasn't me!" He shouted at her retreating figure. Her eyebrows knitted together, eyes closing. She couldn't help but believe him. Why would he do something so cruel? But, if he didn't do it… Who did? She was never a really sound sleeper. If someone walked in, she should've woken up. Slowly, the muse turned around.

"If you're lying to me…"

"I'm not!" He was now getting off the bed, walking over to her. "You didn't do this."

"Of course not." She snapped.

"Just checking. Sometimes, you play cruel jokes."

"So, what do we do. My guess is, going back to sleep will be pretty difficult."

"Well, what you said before always stands." Castle doubted she'd go for it though. At the questioning look she gave him, he elaborated. "The car." She snorted.

"You want to sleep in the car? That scared, hm?"

"Hey! I'm not doing it for my benefit, I'm doing it for you."  
>"So, let me get this straight. You'd be perfectly fine staying in this room?" Castle gave another glance around.<p>

"Okay, maybe not."

"Maybe Lanie and Esposito won't mind sharing the couches."

"Are you serious?" Castle laughed, then proceeding to make his voice higher, mocking Lanie's. "You want to sleep on the same couch as us? Okay, no problem. We'll just share with each other, that way Esposito and I spend even _less_ time together." Kate narrowed her eyes.

"Are you finished?"

"Yes." He wasn't completely wrong. The couple barely got to spend time together, and when they did, they usually fought. They just tried to avoid doing it in front of their friends. Privacy was what they needed. "Would you like to go in the car or not?"

"Yes… No." She huffed, dropping her arms. "Castle, we're being ridiculous." All at once the lights flickered back on, but just a millisecond later they were off again, followed by a cackle of thunder. "I can't believe it's still storming." They could hear the raindrops rapidly falling outside the window. Walking over to it, she peaked through, but there was no way of seeing. No street lights, no indication of what was happening out there.

"Lights went on… for a second. That's a good sign, right?" Castle looked up towards the ceiling, wondering if they'd come back on. "Maybe we should stop worrying so much, and go back to bed. The sooner we go to sleep, the sooner we'll find ourselves in daylight." Kate rubbed her arm, the small hairs on end.

"You're right. Sleep. It sounds nice." Reluctantly, she made her way back to the bed and climbed in, Castle following shortly after. Now that they were more awake than they had been when they first went to bed, it felt much stranger for him to be lying next to her. Neither knew how to act. Kate moved in close to the wall, trying to keep her distance from the large man. The farther she was, the less of a desire to touch him. It was silent for just a few minutes, trying to force themselves into sleep.

"It was about blood." She said suddenly.

"What?" Confusion  
>"My dream." Quiet. "There was a pentagram made from blood. A human heart in the center. A puddle of blood, dead body dragged through it. And a gunshot. That was it." She swallowed hard, still finding difficulty in thinking about it.<p>

"This place is really fucking with us, isn't it?" It was the only thing he could think to say. Letting out a breath, Kate frowned.

"I think so." Eventually, they fell into a fitful rest. Neither of them dreamt. First to wake up was Castle, at 8:00. His eyes gradually fluttered open, his body not yet wanting to prepare for the day. When fully awake, confusion was the first thing that struck him. Something was clouding his vision. Something with red and white fabric. At the realization, he let out a shout, jolting the woman next to him awake. Abruptly sitting up, the man tried to catch his breath.

"Castle, what the hell!" She screamed, shoving him. When she saw what alarmed him, a horrifying scream escaped her lips, until Castle pressed her against the wall and covered her mouth with his palm.

"Hush!" She nodded from under his hand, so he pulled away.

"H-H-How…?" There it was. Now on the floor after Castle swung at it, was the giant clown. It had been positioned next to him at some point during their sleep.

"We are going home. Now." Without protest, she allowed him to grab her wrist and pull her off the bed, in shock to the point where she couldn't even argue. Not that she would. Pulling her towards the door, he was about to pull it open when Kate spoke up again.

"Who would do that?" It came out as a squeak.

"I don't know, but I don't trust these people. We're going to call the tow truck, and get out of here." Not letting go of her wrist, he pulled her out the door and down the hallway. When she caught up with herself, she pulled her hand back and followed after him. Castle knocked on the guest room door. No answer. He knocked again, and again.

"Screw it." He mumbled, pushing it open. The beds were made, and no one was in the room. Kate got on her tippy toes to look over his shoulder, pouting when she saw no one there.

"They must be downstairs already."

"Then that's where we go." The author seemed much angrier than usual, his fists clenched. Of course, Kate took full advantage of this by occasionally staring at his flexed muscles, swiping her tongue across her lower lip. Why did he have to be such a looker?

As they descended the stairs, the pair heard conversation coming from the living room. They gave each other a look, and then entered the room. There, the entire household was sitting around the room, drinking coffee.

"Powers still out." Castle observed.

"That it is. I guess your phone call will have to wait." That was unacceptable.

"Why is there no signal out here?" Carol tilted her head at Castle, as she usually did when she suspected foul play.

"For your cell phones?" At his nod, she continued. "We are pretty far from the town. No cell towers along this dirt path, or nearby. The closest place your phone would pick up bars would probably be in town."

"And where's that?"

"About a 45 minute drive."

"Why are you so far from the town?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Everyone shifted, not sure of whether to intervene or not. Kevin and Javier gave their friend a look that said 'What the hell is your problem?'

"Just answer it."  
>"Richard, is it?" She sipped her coffee. "Mind yourself, when in my house. The attitude is not necessary. If you'd like to go in to the town, take your car and go. Matter of fact, there's a motel down that way. If you have a problem with me or my house, get your shit and get lost." Taken aback by her words, Castle was stumped on what to say next. Her words were venomous, yet said with sweet butter.<p>

"We shouldn't impose any longer, anyway." He just wanted to get out of here. "Guys, we should just go to the town and call the tow truck."

"How? There isn't enough room for all of us in one working car." Kevin stated. That was true. Castle groaned. He hadn't want to leave anyone behind.

"Fine. Two people can stay here, but we'll drive right back to come get you."

"Rick, what's the rush?" Jenny asked, shaking her head at him. "They never said they wanted us out right away." She looked towards Carol. "Unless, we _are_ imposing?"

"Nonsense! I love the company. I don't exactly have friends, way out here. Why don't you go by yourself?" Castle's eyes darkened. He did _not_ trust this woman. Not at all.

"Castle, just go into town and make the call. Tell the truck to come to this address, and then come back with the car. It's no big deal." Esposito told his friend. He could tell something was wrong. Very wrong.

"What's with the large clown in the room we stayed in?" Kate asked, out of nowhere.

"Excuse me?" Carol raised her eyebrows.

"There was… a clown." She shrugged. "In the kids room. A giant toy clown. It was creepy." She immediately regretted bringing it up.

"That was Paul's favorite toy." The woman growled.

"It's _terrifying_."

"That's it!" The usually quiet Trevor slammed his fist on the coffee table, making the guests jump. Jenny grabbed her husband's arm, praying this would play out alright. Standing up, Trevor made his way over to Kate and grabbed her arm. "You don't disrespect my family!"  
>"I-I wasn't!"<p>

"Get off her." Castle shoved the guy.

"Guys!" Lanie shouted. "Kate, Castle. Maybe you two should take the car into town. Call the tow truck. Okay?" Trevor brushed off his shoulder, still standing very close to Castle in a threatening way.

"Yeah." He said roughly. "We'll do that. Come on, Kate." He gently took her hand and pulled the door open, letting her walk out first to make sure the idiot who grabbed her didn't try it again. It was unlikely either way, but he couldn't help the protectiveness he always felt for her. The door was slammed behind him as they left.

"Think they'll let us back in?"

"Who cares?" He shrugged it off, heading towards the car.

"Wait, do you even have the keys?" Kate asked.

"…I'm pretty sure Esposito left them in the car."

"That's incredibly idiotic." The rain pelted down on them, though much lighter than before. "Can't believe it's still raining." Without any more words, they pulled open the car doors and got in.

"Where did he put those.." Checking the glove compartment, Kate found it empty.

"Check the dashboard." He pulled it open.

"Bingo." Snatching them, Castle turned the key into the ignition. After pulling away, he drove down the long dirt path.

"How long did she say the drive to town was?"  
>"I'm pretty sure she said 45 minutes." He groaned.<p>

"Should be _fun_." Nothing but dirt and sand. No signs of other life. "Let's play a car game."

"No." She looked out the window instead.

"Oh, come on. Don't be such a downer." Thinking for a moment, Castle went over the past days events. Trying to click everything in to place. Maybe Trevor and Carol was just an average couple, grieving their dead son. Or maybe there was more to it than that.

"Maybe they're witches." He considered out loud.

"What?" She stared at him.

"Witches. Ya know. Magic and all that. But they're not like average witches. Oh no… Mr. and Mrs…" He then realized he didn't know their last names. "Trevor and Carol went against the normal way of magic. They studied black magic. A cauldron explosion… It started the dominos falling. It was the incident that took their son."

"Stop talking."

"These are valid explanations!" She decided not to answer. "Okay, fine. What's your theory?"

"My theory?" He nodded. "My theory is that Carol and Trevor were once regular people, with a regular marriage. A regular child. They enjoyed their privacy. Away from everybody else, in a quiet home where no one can bother them. One day, everything was taken away from them, a terrible tragedy. Maybe it was a car accident, or maybe even cancer. They lost their son Paul, and didn't know how to cope. So they lost their happy fronts and replaced it with anger, the happiness they show being nothing but a mask to hide what they truly feel inside." Castle took a moment to inhale everything she had just said. It was incredibly smart. Much more logical than his theory.

"Sometimes I forget."

"Forget what?"  
>"How amazing you are." Castle said softly, his voice quieter. Kate closed her eyes for a split moment, a small smile gracing her beautiful face. Her heart hurt whenever she heard him say such things.<p>

"Thank you." She breathed, relaxing her head against the soft chair. Glancing over at her, his eyes lightened in the dimness of the car.

Eventually, Castle saw a town up ahead.

"Kate." He nudged her sleeping form. Her eyes opened, and she looked through the front window.

"Thank the lord." Stretching, she kept her eyes peeled for stores. "Hey." She pointed. "An inn. They've got to have a phone there."

"Right." He pulled up in front of the building. "This town is so old fashioned. It's western styled."

"Must have a lot of history." She agreed, getting out of the car. "This time take the keys with you, okay?" He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm, and together they approached the building. A large sign was placed next to it, stating **"JOEL'S TAVERN & INN"**

Holding the door open for Kate, Castle followed in behind her. Definitely old fashioned. As if they were in an old western styled bar. There were modern things here and there, but this town seemed to stick with the theme. A few patrons glanced up at them, but most didn't really notice them. Castle sauntered over to the bar.

"What can I get ya?" The bearded man was using a dirty wet rag to clean off the bar.

"Do you have a phone I could use?" Castle asked. The guy tapped his fingers along the bar, thinking.

"Yeah. There's a payphone right outside."

"Oh. Must've missed that."

"Castle, I'm going to use the ladies room. I'll meet you out there." He nodded at her and headed out the front door to call the tow truck.

Kate pushed open the door to the woman's restroom. It was small, two stalls and an old sink with a matching foggy mirror. She quickly used the bathroom, trying not to pay much attention to the unclean state of this room. After washing her hands, she glanced up at her reflection. Slightly disheveled, in desperate need of some makeup. Rubbing at the bags under her eyes, she let out a sigh.

Running her fingers through her knotted hair, she attempted to untangle her messy curls and add some normalness to her current looks. She was not anxious to go back to that house. Exiting the restroom, she nearly bumped into a woman and quickly apologized, taking a seat at the bar. Might as well just wait for Castle to finish up outside. The younger looking bartender noticed the distant expression on the woman's face and casually walked over.

"Some weather we're having, eh?" Kate raised a brow. Seriously?

"Yeah. Whole lot of rain."

"Would you like a beer? It's on me." She considered this for a moment. Her paranoia and worry was getting the best of her. Alcohol might do her some good.

"Yeah… That sounds nice." Flashing a smile at him, he made himself busy grabbing a cold one from the fridge and snapping off the cap. She watched as the frozen steam raised from the top, fingers clasping the cold bottle, water from the outside dripping onto her hand.

"You look like you've been having a rough one." She simply shrugged, eyes cast down. Another moment later, and she took her first swig of the beer. "Want to talk about it?" Her eyes now made contact with his, just noticing how beautiful his oceanic eyes were. Not nearly as amazing as Castle's, but he was an attractive young man.

"Car broke down last night. Spent the night at some weird couple's house. Over on Ridgewood Road. At least, that's what they said it was called. Saw no signs."

"You mean Mr. And Mrs. Lawson?" No recognition shone in her eyes. "Carol and Trevor?" Kate snapped her fingers.

"That's them." The man visibly shivered. Kate couldn't tell if it was for dramatic effect, or because they truly gave him chills.

"Man, are they weird."

"How do you know them?"

"They stop in town every so often. Try not come a lot, only to grab some groceries and occasionally get a drink. I never see Carol in here, though. Trevor likes to drown his sorrows and bitch about his wife. Sounds like a hand full."

"What'd you say your name was?"

"Didn't. But, it's John." Kate leaned forward.

"John, what exactly do you know about the Lawson's?"

"Not much. Nobody really does. They home schooled their son, so no one really knew him either. Clearly, those people are socially awkward or have some serious issues. My guess is on the latter."

"Creepy Crazies, then?"

"You bet. People like to talk about them. Spread more rumors than necessary."

"Like what?"

"Stupid stuff. My sister was convinced by her husband that they're some kind of witches. My best friend Harry, thinks they're aliens. My mother, she thinks they're demons. 'Plagued' by sin. Told me to stay away from them. Which I do, considering they're never around. Except for when Trevor gets a drink."

"Witches, aliens, and demons. Oh my." She mocked, as if quoting the Wizard of Oz. This earned a chuckle from John.

"I like you." He grinned. "So, I'm gonna go ahead and tell you to heed my warning."  
>"What warning?"<p>

"Get the hell out of there. Go home."

"I thought you didn't believe in those rumors?"

"Oh, I don't. The unrealistic ones about them being supernatural beings, at least. But, I do think there is something seriously wrong with them. With their son going missing and all. Whole lot of foul play. I think they're some kind of killers or something.."

"Whoa, what? Their son went missing? Carol told me he was dead." John let out a big breath, his cheeks inflating.

"Official report was definitely 'Missing'. Not dead. Either you got your wires crossed, or I was right all along."

"My friends are with the couple right now. And Trevor's brother Jack."

"The best advice I can give you, is to get out. Before you end up 'missing' right along with their son." Castle had entered the bar again at this point, and wasn't too thrilled to see the exchange between Kate and this pervy bartender who wasn't doing his job. Surprising Kate by placing an arm around her, he smiled at the bartender.

"I called the tow truck, _Katie_." Was that a growl? She shrugged him off.

"Hey, dude." John put his hands up in defense. "I wasn't flirting with your girlfriend, so quit giving me the third degree."  
>"Oh no? Seemed pretty chatty."<p>

"I'm married." He defended.

"Then maybe you should get yourself some morals."

"Castle! First of all, I'm not his girlfriend. Second of all, quit being an ass, Castle." She gave an apologetic look to John.

"It's okay. Sometimes, I'm overly friendly." That's when the author started to feel a bit guilty.

"Yeah, and sometimes I get jealous." Okay, that last word just slipped out.

"Jealous?" Kate squeaked. Inside of her heart, it felt pretty good. Maybe she should flirt with bartenders more often. At least, in front of Castle.

"Come on, Kate. Let's get back to the house before Carol and Trevor murder all our friends." It came out as a light hearted joke, but after all the information Kate just had unloaded on her, her heart picked up speed at that. As they got back in the car, Castle glanced at Kate through the rearview mirror.

"You seem out of it. What's going on?" And that's when she explained everything she'd just learned to him, emphasizing on the part about Paul being missing, not declared officially dead. Castle stepped on the pedal as she finished her story, rushing to get back to his friends before something terrible could happen. It was better safe than sorry.

**TBC**


	3. Jack in the Box

As they pulled up to the house, Castle strongly regretted returning. They needed to, for their friends. Yet at the same time, he felt as if his friends were in no danger, and he and Kate were better off getting a room at the inn.He was about to voice this opinion to Kate, when she inhaled deeply.

"What, what is it?" Stopping the car, he waited for her to say something. "Kate?"

"Was that there before?" Her voice wavered. Her eyes were directed at the barn beside the house. Castle thought for a moment.

"Yeah. We just didn't really notice it because of all the distractions. Rain, tow trucks. Blah blah." He watched a series of expressions wash over her face, relief being the most forthcoming.

"Oh… Okay."

"You're letting paranoia get the best of you. I need you sane." Slowly, she nodded.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Kate was first to push open her car door, the pair approaching the house side by side. It was midafternoon, and she was beginning to wish they'd stopped for lunch. The door swung open before one of them could even knock, and standing there was Lanie. She closed the door and stepped out; much to their surprise.

"Lanie?" Kate questioned.

"Jack woke up later than everybody else today, just a half hour ago actually. He came up from the basement and started a huge argument with his brother. It got out of hand, he ended up storming out. The air is pretty dark in there. You two being there… It's only gonna make it worse."

"Why?" Castle shook his head. He knew Carol wasn't too fond of them, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

"I don't know, but they kept mentioning you two earlier and they really don't like you. At all."

"So what are we supposed to do, wait in the car for the tow truck?" The woman shrugged and sighed.

"So you called, then?"

"Yeah." The door opened again, Carol exiting with a somber expression.

"You two. Welcome back." Her lips were in a thin line. "Have you eaten yet?" After a moment's hesitation, they shook their heads. "Well then, I better feed you. Come on in." Not only were Kate and Castle surprised by her change of demeanor, but Lanie seemed just as shocked. She shrugged at her friends as they followed the woman back in her house. "Take a seat, I'll be with you in a second." They sat in the dining room, a pretty plain room of the house. One long table with chairs decorating the sides and ends. Located right next to the kitchen and living room, but separated by walls.

"I'm going to tell Javier to look out for the tow truck." Lanie told her two friends, leaving the dining room. It was quiet the moment she left, the two adults just sitting across from each other silently.

"How long do you think it will take?" The detective asked softly.

"Depends on where the tow truck company is located."

"Tow truck can give the two people that won't fit in the car a ride, right?"

"Sure, to the company at least. From there they can call a cab." She sighed in relief, slowly nodding her head.

"Oh, no!" A female gasped from the living room.

"What is it?" Carol shouted, exiting the kitchen with two plates. She quickly placed them in front of Castle and Beckett, making her way to the living room. The pair tilted their head to try and get a view out the open doorway.

"Another storm is headed our way." Jenny told her, the group of people standing by the front door, it swung wide open. The clouds were shading the heavens, dark and fluffy; a warning. Already the raindrops began to fall.

"Not again." Ryan frowned.

"The tow truck should be halfway here." Lanie decided, trying to convince herself. "If not down the block. We shouldn't worry."

"Worst comes to worst, you spend another night here." Carol reassured them. "Don't even worry with imposing."

"It's not that we mind your house, we just should be getting home." Lanie told her kindly. "Thank you so much for being so welcoming though, really." Castle had already begun eating along with Kate, not to say they weren't at least eavesdropping.

"What's with all this storming?" Kate asked him. "We checked the weather before we left for our little trip. Everything seemed like it'd work out just fine."

"Sometimes, unexpected disappointments happen." He shrugged his fork. He clucked his tongue. "Does this food taste funny to you?" Shaking her head, she went back to her own food. Despite the strange taste, Castle continued to munch on the food, not having eaten today.

"I need to check on Trevor." Carol made her way towards the stairs. Once out of sight, the group entered the dining room and sat around the table to converse.

"What do we do?" Lanie asked. "I mean, if the tow truck doesn't come?"

"That's ridiculous," Esposito said, pointedly. "They'll come. They have to. It's not like the guy can just cancel."

"Oh, he can. If the weather gets bad enough." Jenny looked down, her expression sad. "I just want to go home." Her husband placed a comforting hand on her back, rubbing it smoothly.

"I know, honey."

"Okay, that was the weirdest meal I've ever had." Castle stared at his finished plate. "It tasted like hot sauce or something." Kate shrugged.

"Mine was fine."

"Why are you guys so suspicious of Trevor and Carol?" Lanie questioned out of nowhere. "They're a little strange, but what do you expect considering?"

"We stopped at an inn to call the tow truck." The detective sighed. "The bartender told me some stuff. No one in town trusts this couple, and their son never died. He went missing. So, why would they tell us he was dead?"

"Probably, because it was too painful to talk about." Jenny said, looking to her husband who nodded for support. "It has to be better to think he's dead than to consider what hell he could be going through. If I was a parent I'd prefer to think he'd just died, hopefully in a peaceful way." All their attention was drawn to the doorway when they heard a door open and slam.

"Was that the front door?" Lanie wondered. Ryan and Esposito exchanged glances; following their lead, the rest of them walked behind. The main door was wide open.

"Must be the wind." Jenny rubbed her arm as the goose bumps began to rise. Quickly shutting the door, Esposito tried not to let it get to him, just like everything else. The middle of nowhere, strangers, weird occurrences. The sound of glass breaking was heard by all of them, their eyes peering to look at the shut basement door.

"The wind." Kevin's wife repeated.

"It's a basement," Lanie said, standing close to her boyfriend. "We shouldn't think much of it. Something fell over." She shrugged, eyes focused on the door.

"Let's check it out," Castle clapped his hands together anxiously. Immediately, his partner pulled his arm, pushing him further away from the door.

"Are you crazy?" She scolded him. "This is not your house, and we don't have the right."

"You can't tell me you're not curious."

"I didn't say I wasn't. It just isn't our place."

"Is everything okay?" The lady of the house stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at them. "You look frightened."

"We heard something break," Ryan said calmly, wrapping an arm around his wife. "In the basement." Saying nothing, she simply descended upon the stairs, a grim line across her face.

"It was probably just my son."

"Excuse me?" Jenny tilted her head forward, eyes widening.

"His spirit," She spat. "Sometimes, he's angry." A crack of thunder caused the group of friends to jump, their hearts picking up speed. "Anyway, Trevor is in a bad mood and he'll be down in a minute. I suggest you all head to your rooms."  
>"What about us?" Lanie glanced over at Javier.<p>

"Right, you slept in the living room." A slow smile creeped on to her face, unlike any other she'd given them. It made them even more nervous about the house. "I'm sure there's room downstairs."

"Downstairs," Lanie repeated. "The basement."

"Exactly! It isn't the warmest part of the house, but it's better than my husband giving you the third degree."

"We'll take it," Esposito said before his girlfriend could interject with an attitude.

"We will?"

"Fantastic, you should head down there. First room on the right has a mattress on the ground. You'll have to settle there. You can find some blankets and pillows in one of the closets."

"Thanks for your hospitality."

"We understand that your husband is angry, so would you rather us go to an inn?" Castle prayed she'd say yes.

"Nonsense! The inn is overpriced and dirty." At the glare Ryan shot him, Castle kept quiet once again. Maybe, he was over reacting.

"Okay, just making sure."

"Skedaddle now, he'll be down in a second."

"Thanks again." Ryan nodded his head and headed upstairs with Jenny, Castle and Beckett following after. Lanie stared at the door to the basement with uncertainty.

"Javi…"

"It's okay, Lanie. It's just a basement. You work in a morgue, this can't possibly be worse." She nodded quickly.

"You're right. I guess it's just everything that Kate and Castle have been saying."

"He has a huge imagination and she listens to it. That's all it is." He pulled the door open and headed down first, the steps creaking as they pressed their feet against the ground. It was dark and dank, they really couldn't see much. Once they reached the end of the stairs, he put his hand up.

"Wait here, I'm going to look for a light." She sighed and agreed, her hand against the banister. He disappeared in to darkness, leaving her impatiently tapping her foot.

"Hurry up, Javier." Another moment, and then she heard something that sounded a lot like a pot falling from a shelf. "What was that?" She called. One more moment, and she decided to find him. Holding herself in the cold air, she stepped forward. "Javi, answer me!"

Up ahead, she could vaguely make out a chipped white door. Pushing it open, she squinted her eyes.

"Oh my god…" A gasp escaped her lips as she saw four lit candles surrounding a pentagram. From behind her, she didn't see Jack holding the pot she thought she'd heard. Slamming it against the back of her head, she fell forwards, landing on her front… Unconscious.

Castle stared out the window in what was once Paul's room, looking for a sign of human life. No cars passed by, no people walked. It was like this road was completely unnecessary.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked from the bed, messing around with a small children's toy. She couldn't seem to figure it out.

"Passing time." He glanced over at her. "What the hell are _you_ doing?"

"I think this is a jack in the box, but it's not working." She continued to wind up the lever, yet nothing popped out.

"Why do you want something to pop out? Aren't those things kind of creepy?" He moved to sit beside her.

"Maybe, but what else can I do?" At his lack of an answer, she attempted to turn the lever again. It made the crackling noise of it winding up, but nothing popped out. The toy was terrifying. On every side of the box was a different clown, old fashioned and scratched. It was greying with a light melody playing as she turned the lever.

"Must be broken." He shrugged. Nonetheless, she still turned it when a little recording said, "Come closer…"

"What the hell?" She stared at the box, letting go of the lever.

"It's one of those trick ones." He smirked. "I love these. Alexis got me one for Christmas a few years back. It speaks to you then pops out." She placed it on her lap, no longer feeling the desire to freak herself out.

"Oh, come on." He pleaded. "Keep turning it."

"I'm not really looking to be 'surprised'."

"Well, it won't be a surprise anymore. I told you already." The curiosity _was_ getting to her. "Do it, do it, do it." Castle cheered.

"You do it." She passed it over to him.

"Gladly." Pretending to be suspenseful, he flapped his hands around it like a bird, lifting the box in front of him as if it was holy.

"Just do it." Kate rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. Deciding to no longer play around with it, he turned the lever as she had before.

"Closer…" The box said. "Come closer, I have a secret…" All at once, a clown popped up, causing them both to jump. It was completely sudden when a purple gas came out of its open mouth, jagged teeth bared for them to see. The whisky purple cloud hit Castle square in the face, causing him to cough a considerable amount.

"What the hell?" Kate pushed the box on the ground. "Castle, are you okay?" She patted her hand against his back to help him clear the congestion.

"What was that crap!" He stared down at the box. "I think we should leave." He told her.

"Hey, you said yourself. It's just a gag gift. Probably… I don't know, candy!"

"Right. Purple cloud candy that tastes like ashes." He gave her doubtful look. "I will literally drag you out of here if you don't come willingly."

"What about the others?" Castle groaned, flopping back on the bed. Kate leaned on her hand, elbow against the pillow beside him.

"You alright there, writer boy?" She teased, poking fun at him.

"What if that purple cloud gave me aids?" Kate couldn't help it, she let out a howl of laughter.

"Aids!" Hysterical, she fell forwards off her elbow and leaned her head on his chest, her giggles vibrating his body. Feeling his heart squeeze, he wrapped his left arm around her back, avoiding rubbing it or anything that would make her pull away. "You're ridiculous," She told him.

"Is it hot in here?" He pulled on the neck of his t-shirt. "I think it did something to me."

"You're paranoid."

"I'm not kidding, Kate! Something really weird happening here." Feeling strange, he lifted himself from laying down and sat back, leaning against the wall.

"What's wrong?" She asked, now a bit concerned.

"My chest feels tight. You think I'd be used to it by now."

"Used to it? Why would you be used to it?"

"Because my chest feels tight whenever I'm around you." Her eyes widened and the pace of her heart quickened.

"Wh-I-I…" She gave up trying to speak. Castle simply smiled, closing his eyes.

"It's not what I normally feel though. It just hurts."

"We need to get you some help."

"I'll be fine, just stay with me."

"No! I need to get Carol and Trevor. They would know why the toy is all screwed up and releases that strange purple stuff. They can help you, I have to get them." She attempted to get off the bed, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Just stay."

"For now," Kate said after a moment's hesitation. Leaning close to him, she sat with her legs folded under her. "Does it hurt really bad?"

"Not with you around." She looked down. "What's wrong?"

"Why do you keep making comments like that?" He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "This whole…trip. Or whatever… You've been complimenting me and saying really sweet things. Why?" Castle thought for a moment, and then shrugged.

"It's just how I feel." His eyes slipped closed again, trying to block out the constricting of his heart, and not the good kind. At least, not until she leaned in and placed a kiss on his lips. It was sweet and sensual, only lasting a few seconds. There was no movement, just her smooth lips capturing his. His eyes fluttered open when she pulled back.

"What was that?" It came out as a whisper, his vocal chords giving up on him.

"Just how I feel," Kate repeated his earlier words, staring right in his eyes.

"Are you sure about that?" At her nodded confirmation, his hand took hers and held it. Completely out of the blue, Castle's body began to violently shake, seizing. His eyes rolled back as he uncontrollably rolled around.

"Castle, Castle!" She shouted his name, trying to snap him out of it. Attempting to hold his large body down, she continued to scream. "What's wrong!" Of course, she got no answer, and failed at holding him down. The thrashing became even worse as he tumbled off the bed, Kate falling along with him. "Snap out of it, please!" She begged, caressing his cheek. His body became completely still, eyes slipping closed.

"Help!" The detective screamed out loud, hoping anyone would hear her. "Somebody please, help!" In her panic, she began to tremble, shaking hands pushing against his chest. "Oh god…"

Jenny jumped off the bed the moment she heard a female's scream. Her eyes were wild as she looked back at her husband who was now pulling his clothes back on.

"Was that Kate?" In fear, she swallowed hard, eyes focused on Kevin.

"I don't know. Stay here." He told her roughly, approaching the door and attempting to swing it open. It was stuck. "What the hell?" Pulling at it again, it was completely frozen in place.

"It's locked?" Not believing her ears and eyes, Jenny joined him at the door. After failing to turn the knob, she shoved the door as if it would do any good. "They locked us in…" Realization dawned on her. "Kate and Richard were right."

"What?" He didn't seem to understand what she was saying as he continued to pull on the knob, banging his hand on the flat surface. "Hey, let us out of here!"

"They were right." She slowly sat down on a chair. "This is our fault."

"You're over reacting, it had to be an accident."

"Right, and that scream? That was an accident too, right?" He looked away. "Kevin, something is really wrong here." Uncertainty glittering in her eyes, he couldn't help but trust her words, as much as he didn't want to.

**TBC**


End file.
